New initiative to support Tri-State veterans, help them with jobs

A new initiative aims to help Tri-State veterans with the difficult task of re-entering civilian life and getting the jobs they need to support themselves and their families.

The initiative will focus on developing and fostering community supports, engaging job opportunities and establishing a Community OneSource to support veterans and military families here. Its goal is to build on the success of similar programs throughout the country.

The effort will be coordinated by Easter Seals TriState and is funded by the Farmer Family Foundation and The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.

“The Farmer Family Foundation is proud to have the opportunity to help serve those who have so honorably served our nation,” Cintas founder Richard Farmer said in a news release. “Our veteran’s community is one of our greatest assets yet more than half a million servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering. Our returning heroes need to be supported and their talents recognized.”

Partnerships and programs will include:

• Staff Sergeant Donnie D. Dixon Center – Easter Seals’ national headquarters has partnered with the Dixon Center for a series of community convening sessions to create a support network for wounded warriors, veterans, military service members and families.

• Vets Work – a Veteran’s Employment Program – Easter Seals TriState will lead a dedicated employment program to provide veterans with both physical and unseen disabilities with the skills and support they need to succeed in the civilian workplace.

• Easter Seals Community OneSource – This established program provides veterans, military families and families of the fallen with information, assistance in navigating resources and personalized follow-up.

“Veterans with PTSD are more likely to be homeless, suffer from substance abuse, and are three times more likely to be unemployed. Our programs aim to eliminate gaps in service and ensure our community’s veterans receive the support they deserve," Easter Seals TriState CEO Pam Green said in the release.

The release noted the challenges that veterans face. In 2011 the unemployment rose to 12.1 percent for Gulf War-era veterans and 12.4 percent for female veterans. For troops between the ages of 18 to 24, that rate is almost 30 percent. Nearly 40 percent of veterans who served in Iraq are diagnosed with a mental health problems such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans make up 20 percent of the country’s homeless population. From 2001 to 2010 the divorce rate for military families increased 38 percent.

“Veterans returning from war and often face a different kind of war at home as they deal with depression or PTSD. We feel it is our duty to ensure that veterans who serve our country don’t face this alone and they receive the supports they need to thrive in our community,” Tim Maloney, CEO of the Haile Foundation, said in the release. “Easter Seals TriState has the local and national support to truly make this a scalable effort and to make a significant difference in the lives of our military families – serving them with honor and dignity as they have served our nation.”

The Easter Seals TriState Military & Veterans Initiative will begins with bringing together employers, educators, medical professionals and others to identify the needs of veterans, the services already in place for them, and the service gaps in our community. Easter Seals TriState will implement programs that have been successful in other Easter Seals affiliates, coordinate with national resources and engage veterans and initiate a full-service employment program for returning veterans.

The initial step in the initiative is a series of community convening sessions. The first two convening sessions will be Feb. 5 and May 7.